@Class Clown:
I am not reassured by any renewed interest in Ayn Rand. Her philosophy may loosely overlap with conservative “small government”, but her concept of individual rights is really just rationalization for narcissism and self-indulgence. That, of course, is exactly what has led us to modern “liberalism”, and that is a temptation that true conservatives must resist at all costs.
Well said.
When I see an Ayn Rand sign or a “Who Is John Galt” bumper sticker, my pimply-faced-college-geek alert goes off.
Hayek is the far more important contributor, and didn’t advocate the libertinism of Ayn Rand. Furthermore, Rand’s human beings are cardboard cutouts – just like Marx’s – they don’t exist in reality. Finally, to illustrate the disconnect between her ideal humans and reality, she didn’t even come close to living up to her ideals – having led a nasty and selfish personal life.
Read Rand all you want – she has some good ideas. But for goodness sake, DON’T CARRY AYN RAND SIGNS AT DEMONSTRATIONS. It turns people off and makes them think (with some reason) that you are a nut or a shallow thinker. Furthermore, don’t believe her philosophy, by itself, is a solid basis for a society composed of actual human beings.
